States free to implement their own lan acquisition laws, says Nitin Gadkari

Sources said RSS bosses would seek an explanation from Nitin Gadkari on his controversial business transactions.PANAJI: Following the failure in Parliament to get the contentious Land Acquisition Bill, the Narendra Modi government has thrown the ball into the courts of individual state governments. Speaking to reporters at the 16th meeting of Maritime States Development Council (MSDC) union minister of shipping, road transport & highways Nitin Gadkari stated that he was sure that state governments were keen to spur development and industry in their respective states.

"Some parties want to politicize the issue. Now those who are interested in trade and industry they can accept the land acquisition law, they can make their rules," Gadkari said. "The state governments are fully authorized to take the decisions. I feel the environment of development and thus I am expecting the majority of states to will take the appropriate steps."

Responding to a question on whether the failure to pass the Land Acquisition Bill would hamper the ministry of shipping's Sagarmala project, Gadkari informed reporters that there were no problems in land acquisition for the Sagarmala project and for other projects taken up by the ministry.

Explaining his confidence that states would implement their own land acquisition laws, Gadkari explained that when he was the minister for rural development, he had received several proposals and inputs from states.

"We got proposals from various ministers, from various parties from various states regarding land acquisition act and on that basis we have taken the amendments," Gadkari said. "But because the issue is politicized in parliament, we will give all this responsibility to the state governments to decide considering the development of the state with regards to the land acquisition act."